Birthday: B.B. King

Born on a plantation in Mississippi in 1925, Riley B. King began performing at a very young age. As a child he played guitar on streetcorners, traveling from town to town every night. In 1947 he hitchhiked to Memphis to pursue his music career. His first break came in 1948 when he performed on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio show. It was on the radio that he changed his name from Riley to Beale Street Blues Boy to Blues Boy King to finally, B.B. King.

With his first hit "Three O'Clock Blues" King hit the road. He made a national tour in 1956 playing 342 one-night stands. It was in Arkansas where he ran back into a burning club to retreive his guitar. It turns out the fire was started during a fight over a girl named Lucille. From that point he has always named his guitar Lucille to remind him not to do something so stupid as to run into a burning building for a $30 guitar.

In the late 60's King played at the Fillmore West, introducing the blues to a young, white audience. In 1969 he toured with the Rolling Stones. His fame grew from there and in 1987 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. B.B. continues to tour today.

If B.B. King died today he would be worth 20 points for Dave.